Water closet flush tank valve operating mechanism



July 22, 1958 M- N. MCKINNON 2,343,854

WATER CLOSET FLUSH TANK VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 25, 1955 V, /a M /4 INVENTOH BY I I;

' ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent WATER CLOSET FLUSH TANK VALVE OPERATING MECHANHSM Malcolm N. McKinnon, Salt Lake City, Utah Application August 25, 1955, Serial No. 530,460

1 Claim. (Cl. 4--57) This invention relates to water closet flush tank valve operating mechanisms, and provides a chain connection between the float valve and float valve operating lever, which will insure against the chain wrapping around the float valve rod or binding when the float valve is operated or moved to a flushing position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel form of connection between the chain and operating lever, which will eliminate binding of the chain at the connecting point between the operating lever and chain, thereby permitting free movement of the float valve to seat accurately at the mouth of the outlet pipe, insuring against leakage at this point.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide a flexible connection between the flush tank float valve and operating lever, which will not interfere with the true vertical movement of the valve rod within its guide.

Other and further objects .and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter described and the novel features thereof defined in the appended claim.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a flush tank, illustrating the flush tank valve and operating means, in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental perspective view illustrating one end of the valve operating lever and the chain connection between the operating lever and float valve rod.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental plan view of the operating lever, one end thereof being shown in section, illustrating the means for connecting the chain to the lever.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental elevational view illustrating the manner of connecting the valve rod and chain.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View through the chain, illustrating the connection between the hook end of the valve rod.

Referring to the drawing in detail, a flush tank is indicated generally by the reference character 5 in which flush tank is supported the overflow pipe 6 to which the valve rod arm 7 is secured. Formed integral at the free end of the arm 7, is a bearing 8 through which the rod 9, secured to the float flush valve 10, operates.

The upper end of the rod 9 is formed into a hook 11 that is secured between adjacent balls 12 at the lower end of the chain of balls, as shown by Fig. 1 of the drawing.

The other end of said chain of balls, is connected to the operating lever 13 by the cotter key 14 that extends through an opening in the operating lever 13, the ends of the cotter key being bent laterally at 15 thereby securely fastening the cotter key to the lever 13.

An operating handle 16 is provided with a shank that extends through one wall of the tank 5 where it connects with the operating lever 13 in the usual and well known manner, so that the operating handle 16 will effect operation of the operating lever 13 and chain 12, to unseat the valve 10 and allow the water to flush from the tank 5 in the usual and well known manner.

The ball chain, is of a length to hang loosely Within the tank, as better shown by Fig. 1 of the drawing, and because of the manner of attaching the ball chain to the hook end 11 of the valve rod 9, it will be obvious that all possibility of the chain wrapping around the rod when the chain is in the flushed position, is eliminated to insure the true operation of the valve.

It will also be seen that due to the manner of connecting the other end of the ball chain to the operating lever 13, the chain will not wrap around the rod during the operation of the lever 13 to unseat the flush valve 10.

While the specific details of one embodiment of this invention have been herein shown and described, the invention is not confined thereto as changes and alterations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

in a flush tank having a flush valve with a vertical stern rising therefrom, an overflow pipe with a stem guide fixed thereon and a valve lifting lever, a flexible connection between said stem and the free end of said lever, said connection comprising a plurality of hollow balls, links secured between pairs of said balls, said stern having an eye at the upper end thereof of less diameter than the diameter of said balls, one of said links extending through said eye to dispose a ball on each side of said eye, said lever having an opening adjacent the free end thereof, a cotter pin engaging horizontally through said opening, said cotter pin having an eye of less diameter than the diameter of said balls, said eye being disposed laterally of said lever, the other end of said connection having a link extended through said last mentioned eye with a ball positioned on opposite sides of said eye.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,419,644 Recker June 13, 1922 1,605,938 Haas Nov. 9, 1926 2,046,888 Watt July 7, 1936 2,208,779 Tinnermann July 23, 1940 2,588,072 Bachli et a1. Mar. 4, 1952 2,625,691 Clifton Jan. 20, 1953 2,679,651 Pokorny June 1, 1954 2,702,928 Nielsen Mar. 1, 1955 

